


Moral Compass

by SansyFresh



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Assumed Bad Brother, Assumed Character Death, Changed it to Sans/Sans since blackcherry will exist lol, Gen, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, More tags to be added, No Actual Bad Brother, no actual death
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-20
Updated: 2019-05-30
Packaged: 2019-06-30 00:50:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 10,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15740754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SansyFresh/pseuds/SansyFresh
Summary: Ten years ago the two of them made a mistake. Red has been trying to fix it ever since.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A fic that's been in the back of my head for a while.
> 
> I'm kinda tired so if there are any tags that need to be added I will do tomorrow
> 
> Thank you again!

He followed the sounds of clinking metal, through the front of the greasy, run down shop and down the hall to the backroom. The grease didn’t really bother him; he did his own car repair, since humans couldn’t be trusted with their own machines and there were few monster mechanics. However, here the air was thick with cheap cigarette smoke and rusty oil, making his nasal aperture itch. The humans that worked there didn’t give him a second glance, likely figuring he was there for the only other monster currently in the building. 

 

He’d come here, traveled hundreds of miles to find this place, to find the one monster that could give him some damn answers. The others wouldn’t tell him, no one he’d talked to had known anything, and he was beyond infuriated that they didn’t seem to trust him with whatever dark secret there was to be discovered.

 

It was easy to tell that  _ something  _ had happened. They didn’t speak of the missing pair of brothers, no one did. There was evidence of them being there at one point, pictures and videos, but nothing else. He would find answers if it was the last thing he did.

 

Razz slipped between a wall and a jacked old, Chevy pickup, the two front tires off and elsewhere. Someone was laying underneath the front of the truck, only their work pants and boots sticking out from beneath the grill. The flash of white bone under the hem of the pants leg was enough to tell him he’d found his guy, Razz squatting down to peer under the grill. 

 

“Sans?”

 

There was a small screech of metal and a loud thump, followed by a vehement string of curses before the body wheeled out from under the truck, bright crimson eyelights glaring up before the sockets they belonged to widened. Razz grinned.

 

“I think we need to talk.”

 

~.~

 

Red rubbed two fingers over the bridge of his nasal aperture, the formings of a migraine working its way through the magic that made up his brain casing. Finally, he huffed, letting his grime covered hand flop on his lap as he glared at a slightly smug looking version of himself.

 

“So yer the asshole they pulled outta the void. Great.” He wasn’t impressed. Razz tilted his head.

 

“My brother and I are happy to be out of our own personal hellhole. I’m sure you and your brother feel the same?”

 

Red growled lowly, hands clenched into fists. It was a baited question, not even a well disguised one, but he couldn’t help the wave of anguished rage that swept over his soul. “I don’ know what those assholes told ya, but they ain’t saints.” Shifting in his seat, he fished a pack of smokes out of his pocket, lighting one up and giving it a huff. Letting the calming effects of the magic soothe his rage, he gave the other a level stare. “What tha fuck did ya come all this way ta talk about, I don’ ‘ave all day.”

 

Razz gave him a calculated look, purple eyelights shining with a curiosity. “I was wondering what kind of person you were, that the others would only mention you as “someone they used to know.”” He glanced around the office, arms crossed over his chest. “While you seem to being doing...well for yourself, it seems unlike Papyrus and Blue to gloss over your time with them.”

 

Red felt a small wave of nostalgia flow over him as he remembered the only two who’d ever believed him, the two that helped him when he’d decided to leave. “Haven’t heard those names in a while.” he scoffed, taking another drag of his cig. “I left on bad terms. Nothin’ more ta it than that.”

 

The other’s eye sockets narrowed. “Bullshit.”

 

Red chuckled, putting out the butt of his spent cig. “Call it what ya want, doesn’t change what happened.”

 

Razz leaned forward in his seat, eyelights gleaming. “So what did happen.”

 

Glaring hard, Red studied his double, really taking him in. There was a genuine curiosity there, as well as a strong emotion tied to something he must have been thinking. He really wanted to know why Red was all the way out here, when the others had mostly stayed together. Why Paps and Blue rarely talked about him, why the other two never did. Relaxing back in his seat, Red regarded the other with a grin.

 

“Are Sans an’ Stretch still around?” It was another loaded question; he knew they couldn’t have been allowed to stay. Not after what they did. Papyrus and Blue put up with a lot, but  _ that  _ was too much. Hell, Red would honestly be surprised if they were allowed to stay near enough to visit. Red himself had moved as far as fucking possible. If he never saw them again, it’d be a fucking miracle.

 

Razz seemed...angry. Not furious, nothing close to rage, but a simple anger flashed in his eyes. “The two of them don’t live with their brothers. When I asked Blue why, he wouldn’t tell me.” Razz’s eyes narrowed. “He seemed...resigned.”

 

Red laughed. “Yeah, ten years’ll do that to a person.” He scoffed. “Those two fucked up way too hard ta earn back their bros’ good graces.” Rolling his eyes, he caught out another smoke, letting this one flip between his phalanges. Razz watched, fingers tapping a random beat over his arms. 

 

“Ten years...is that how long you’ve been gone?”

 

Red nodded, staring down at his hands. Hands covered with grime, black with oil. If only his bro could see him now. 

 

“...what the hell happened between you and the others?” The question was tinged with disbelief, something that Red found himself smiling at. Like it was all one big joke, and he was the punchline.

 

Grimacing even as he chuckled, the sound dark and filled with pain, Red glared up, eyelight full of magic. If he wanted a punchline, he’d give him a punchline.

 

“They killed my brother.”


	2. Cheap Booze

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wooo next chapter! More bro moments lol And some Slim talk cause precious boi

Razz hung around the shop until Red’s shift ended, watching with sharp eyelights as the bitter skeleton told his coworkers goodbye. He wore a smirk that dropped when he joined Razz by the road, hands smoothly working through the motions of lighting up a cheap cig, the flare of the lighter making shadows move over his face.

 

“So, I guess there’s more ya want ta talk ‘bout, then.” He didn’t sound particularly pleased with the idea, his brow furrowed in a dark line over his sockets. Razz stared down the now empty stretch of road that lead further into the city, his arms crossed over his chest.

 

“There is.” 

 

Red laughed, the sound full of bitter intent. “Fuck. Well, lets find a better place ta unload, yeah?” Taking another drag from his cig, the cherry red end flared before he took it from his mouth, exhaling the smoke even as he turned and started walking along the road. Razz looked back to the shop, sighed, and followed.

 

The bar was a silent twenty minute walk from the shop, a small hole in the wall that oozed the reek of cheap booze and bad decisions. Red strode right in, greeting what seemed to be locals and the bartender with a smirk and a wink, flopping down in one of the side booths and nodding to Razz to sit on the other side. There were a few strange looks thrown their way, but if Razz knew anything about himself, it was likely that Red had a certain place he sat in this establishment, and a booth out of the way, tucked in the corner was not it.

 

Still, he was grateful for the privacy, the rowdiness of the conversations around them and the jukebox crooning off in the corner made for a decent enough atmosphere for conversation. No one looked like they cared enough to listen in anyways, though Razz never discounted the possibility.

 

A waiter shambled over, taking their drinks orders and chatting amicably with Red for a few minutes before ambling off again. The two of them didn’t say anything until the drinks arrived, Razz a glass of scotch and Red a tumbler of whiskey, along with the bottle. Red slipped the boy a few extra bills and then they were alone, any eyes that may have been on them before now conspicuously preoccupied with other things.

 

Red took a long, hard swig from the bottle, his magic flashing a bit as it settled, his shoulders seeming to relax. “Alright, my turn ta ask some questions.” 

 

Razz nodded; it was a fair trade. Information for information, the way it worked in a fellverse.

 

Red stared hard, though something in his gaze was soft. “What’s yer Pap like?”

 

Well, that was certainly something he could talk about for ages. “He’s my baby brother. He’s strong, capable, certainly smarter than most people would credit him. They call him Slim here, similar to Stretch, I think, in temperament, but...not in belief.” He swirled his glass as he spoke, the ice clinking softly against the glass. “He doesn’t enjoy being around many people at once. I think he listens to music as a way to cope with this new world we’re in.”

 

Red nodded, now staring at the table, one of his fingers tracing along the grain in the wood. “Sounds like a swell guy.”

 

Razz raised his chin, eyelights defiant. “He’s the best.”

 

Chuckling, Red raised his glass, a gleam in his sockets. “I’ll cheers ta that, buddy.”

 

Their glasses clinked together, the two of them downing their drinks with an exhale of satisfaction. Silence followed, only broken by the clink of Red setting the bottle down after refilling his glass. 

 

“How’re Blue and Paps, doin’?” The question was quiet, touched with a tinge of anxiety. Razz thought he might have understood why.

 

“They are well. In fact, they are the ones who sent me here, when I asked them about you. Said it’d be better for me to “meet the source”.”  He rolled his eyes, the motion fond. Red laughed lightly, nodding his head.

 

“Sounds like ‘em. They’re the ones who helped me out here. I owe them.”

 

It went unsaid that they were unlikely to accept any form of repayment. Neither of them needed to say it for it to be true. But Razz nodded, motioning for a refill before he leaned back, settling into the booth as he glanced around the room, more out of habit than any curiosity. Red studied him for a moment, crimson eyelights taking him in fully. 

 

“Jus’ outta curiosity, but where’re ya staying, while yer here?” It was carefully asked, full of hidden subtext that only a fell monster would even notice. Razz certainly did, but answering, here in this new world, would cost him little when it was himself that was asking.

 

“In a motel, on the edge of town.”

 

Red nodded, seemingly unsurprised. “No yer not.” And with that he raised his hand, motioning over the waiter and telling him to put their drinks on his tab before moving to leave the booth. Razz blinked, watching with wide sockets before he scrambled to follow. 

 

“What do you mean, no I’m not?” It was a valid question, he thought. Red didn’t seem to share the sentiment. Instead of answering, he lead him out and around to the back of the bar, kicking over a bottle before grabbing his arm. There was a moment of blinding darkness, a chilled blackness around them, and the next instant they were standing in a dingy living room, the carpet a sickly yellow and the sofa begging to be put out of its misery.

 

Red grinned, highly pleased with himself, before jerking a thumb towards the hall. “I’ve got a spare bedroom. Ya can use that, long as ya need it.” Then, as if he’d worked himself to exhaustion, he flopped down on the couch and flipped on the box tv. 

 

Razz stood there for a moment, expression empty, before he gave up and flopped next to him. He’d get his bags from the motel room tomorrow.


	3. Hash and Eggs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wooo next chapter!!! Really happy to be getting this one out, and I think I have a somewhat of a good feel for where this one is headed? So hopefully they'll come more smoothly!!
> 
> Thank you all for reading!!

_ The machine was buzzing, whirring, clicking. There are eyes watching them, studying them as he moves slowly, so slowly to his brother, raising his hand to tell him to be careful. Fell rolls his eyes and steps towards the machine, every movement in slow motion. The machine burns black, then white as his brother steps through it, and as soon as he’s through, the green display reads that he’d gotten through successfully. The next few moments send terror through his mind. The display turns red, the numbers of his universe being erased, turned into ash, the eyes watching laughing as he desperately claws at the metal, screaming for his brother- _

  
  


Red sat up in bed, leaning heavily on one arm as he took deep, even breaths. It wasn’t the first time he’d had that dream, and he doubted that would be the last. Sometimes things even mixed up, Blue and Paps being in the room even though Red knew they hadn’t been, that they’d had no idea what their brothers were planning. 

 

It didn’t make it hurt any less. Didn’t make the pain of possibly never seeing his brother again sting any less. Didn’t make him stop waking up every morning hoping beyond hope that maybe he was back underground, back in that hell hole, just to make sure Papyrus was safe.

 

He flopped back into his cheap, shitty mattress, even though the thing is more comfortable than the one he’d had back home it’s no contest which one he’d rather be sleeping in. Flipping open his phone, he scrolled through his social media, the only blogs he’s following Papyrus’. He liked keeping up to date with the monster’s rights movement and shit from back home, Ebbott so far away now even as the monsters slowly trickled out to farther and farther places. Hell, he’d thought he’d seen a moldsmal a few days back, but when he’d really found the time to look the thing was gone. 

 

The smell of cooking bacon, sausage and some kind of bread slowly made its way through the ventilation system, Red’s brow furrowing before he remembered that he’d let the new bitch stay at his place the night before. He hoped the guy knew his way around a kitchen, or else he was getting a new ass torn for him if he made all his damn dishes dirty for no good reason. 

 

Rolling himself out of bed, Red padded to the kitchen, not bothering to hide his movements. It wouldn’t be appreciated, not with the universe the new guy was from, and would only cause unnecessary tension between them. Not that Red wasn’t down for a little tussle, but in all honesty it wouldn’t amount to much but a disappointed text from the only two people he trusted in this world.

 

Razz was standing at the oven, clearly practiced with a temperamental piece of shit as he skillfully plated up round sausages, ham and cheese scrambled eggs, and what appeared to be homemade biscuits. Red had no idea he even had the ingredients for half of these things, but then again maybe Razz had taken advantage of the corner store right down the road, how the hell was he supposed to know. It wasn’t like he’d asked the guy to cook. 

 

“You can have a seat, it’s your kitchen. I’ll have breakfast ready in a few minutes.”

 

Red snorted at the concise and to-the-point way of talking, his ass settled in a seat after he’d poured himself a mug of the fresh brewed coffee sitting on the counter. He watched over the lip of his mug as Razz finished cooking, plating everything up and bringing two plates to the table, where forks and knives were already placed. A loaded plate was set in front of him, the scents heavenly, and yet when he looked at the satisfied expression on Razz’s face, he had to know.

 

“Do I remind ya that much of yer brother?” It was a valid question in his head, but out loud it almost sounded incredulous. Him, anything like his brother. Such a bastard of a thought it nearly made him laugh.

 

Razz glanced up, seemingly unsurprised, and nodded. “Of course you do. Other than the height disparity, you’re very similar from an outside vantage.” He scooped up a bit of egg, ruminating on a thought before continuing. “Of course, you’re nothing like him in actual personality. Caring for you would be like caring for a stranger.”

 

Red snorted, raising his fork in solidarity before he dug fully into the meal. It was a silent affair, the two of them eating and not looking at the other, not that either of them felt the need to. They were themselves, after all, and if you couldn’t trust yourself to sit at a table and eat a home cooked meal, then what could you trust?

 

Once it was done the silence lingered, Razz picking up their plates and utensils and starting a sink full of sudsy water, Red taking a cigar from its pack and lighting up as an after breakfast special. It seemed almost taboo to break it, but Red had a question that wasn’t going to wait. Sure, it technically could wait until the two of them were a little more comfortable, when things were a little less awkward, but it wasn’t  _ going  _ to.

 

“So when’re ya heading back?” His voice was grovely from the smoke, eyelights hazed a bit around the edges as he relaxed back into his chair. 

 

Razz stiffened a little, his skull turning to the side as he looked at Red. “I’m not.”

 

Tapping the end of the cigar into a bowl, Red grinned. “What d’ya mean, yer not? Course ya are, you got a brother ta get back to.”

 

Now Razz sighed, flicking his hands free of bubbles and water before he turned fully, looking Red in the eye. “I’m not leaving until you’ve fixed your machine.”

 

Red blinked, the hazes sharpening as he stared the other down, more than one thought going through his head, before his mouth lifted in a wicked grin. “Well hell. Why didn’ ya say so in the first place.”


	4. Rictus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wooo next chapter! im tired lol

Dust drifted through the light that shone from above the wooden stairs, each step creaking as Razz followed Red down them. From what Red had been willing to divulge, he’d rented this storage room from the owners of the apartment, since he’d needed it at the time and they hadn’t used it for anything. It was old, dusty, and grimy, the walls covered with moss and dirt and other unidentified substances that Razz wasn’t going to touch. 

 

Once they reached the bottom, the darkness stretched out in front of them, a few pieces of metal gleaming out from the faint light that touched them. Another switch was flipped, and Razz was left blinking through the sudden bright light, Red walking forward to a large, covered object that sat in the center of the room. There were tables around it covered in tools, old parts, frayed wires, and numerous papers and blueprints, all with words written solely in wingding. 

 

It wouldn’t do for a human to come down here and learn what the machine actually did, would it?

 

Red tugged the sheet down, a plume of dust billowing up into the air, making Razz’s nasal aperture itch. It was an impressive machine, the thing tall, and despite being made out of pieces of junk metal and wires that stuck out every which way, it was  _ impressive  _ that Red had gotten this far with it. Taking a few steps forward, Razz studied the surface, reaching out with one hand and tapping it lightly before taking his hand back. Red had stiffened, though he said nothing, but Razz could respect a monster being afraid all of their hard work would be ruined.

 

“How close are you?”

 

Red snorted, throwing the sheet back up and over the whole thing. “I still need’a few important pieces. Shit that ya can’t jus’ get from Home Depot ‘er tha local dump.” Kicking the leg of a table, he stared at Razz. “Think yer brother could...fetch me a few things?”

 

Razz grinned. “He’d be happy to. Give me a list of what you need, and he’ll retrieve them.”

 

Grin turning rictus, Red tilted his head. “Sure thing, sweetheart.”

 

~.~

 

Razz stepped outside onto the small porch of the apartment, the sounds of loud, obnoxious snoring inside following him out until he shut the door behind him. Fishing his phone from his pocket, he looked through the contacts, considering calling Blue or Papyrus to let them know that he’d found Red, but decided that calling his brother took priority. 

 

Clicking the speed dial, he put the phone to his head and listened to the faint droning buzz of a ring, until it clicked.

 

“Hey bro, you find him?” Slim’s voice was low, smooth. Just as it always was.

 

Razz rubbed a hand over his face, staring out into the setting sunlight. “Yes, I’ve found him. He’s not well off, works as a mechanic in a run down, old shop. You’d get along just fine.”

 

Slim’s laugh carried through the receiver. “I’m sure we would. Is he buildin’ a machine like we thought?”

 

“Yes. It’s coming along well, but he needs several key elements to even come close to finishing the base functions. I have a list.” It was better to get the nasty business over with as quickly as possible. Slim thought so as well, by his response. 

 

“Well shit, bro, send it over and I’ll get what I can. Gimmie his address and I’ll bring it all over.”

 

Razz grinned. It was enjoyable, being able to trust his own brother. After listing the main items that were needed to continue onto others, Razz questioned how his brother was doing by himself. Slim laughed. 

 

“I’m not by myself, bro, the other two’re watching me. They’re pretty good and being killjoys.”

 

Razz snorted. He could see it clearly, his brother trying to irresponsibly drink and Blue forcing him to stop at a certain limit. If he was honest, he was grateful they were looking out for him, even if he didn’t really need it. He couldn’t imagine not being able to at least see his brother for longer than a few weeks, let alone ten years. 

 

It was a true crime what those two had done to Red and his brother. And not one they could be punished for in this universe. It burned his soul to think about it, but it was the way things were. There was no getting around it. 

 

Finishing his conversation with his brother, the two of them exchanging their love before hanging up, Razz leaned fully against the railing of the porch, staring out. He couldn’t imagine what Red was going through. He could imagine not knowing if his brother was alive or not, because that opportunity had presented itself in their own universe. But...ten years of waiting. Ten years of not knowing, of holding on to a desperate hope that you know in your soul is worthless but you hold on anyway because if you don’t, you might as well be dust. 

 

It hurt in Razz’s soul, thinking of Red suffering in that way. It burned, squeezed, stabbed with pain that was unfamiliar in some ways, utterly familiar in others. But he would endure it. He would endure it because whatever pain Red was going through would undeniably be worse. Shaking his head, he pocketed his phone, and headed back inside. 


	5. Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> man, sorry about the wait on this guys TnT im trying to do better
> 
> enjoy?

After a day or so of making sure Razz knew which places were monster friendly and which neighborhoods to avoid, Red called his boss to let him know he’d be back in the next day. The old geezer’s response was something along the lines of “Take yer time, sonny!”, but Red chuckled and told him he’d for sure be there the next day. It was nice, having a boss that didn’t have a thing against monsters. Made getting his paychecks a hell of a lot easier, for certain. 

So, after a somewhat decent sleep and having breakfast with Razz (and giving him a final talk about staying away from the park three blocks over), Red headed out. Porting to the block just before the shop, Red started down the sidewalk. It was better than randomly popping in and freaking out his coworkers, or worse, his boss, and the walk wasn’t so far that he suffered for it.

At least, not most of the time.

He heard the footsteps behind him just as he’d started to walk into the shop through the open garage doors, the air behind a swing coming towards the back of his skull only barely dodged as he sidestepped. Glancing back, there was a livid looking human, raising his arm up to take another swing at what he’d apparently deemed a helpless monster, Red dodging again and watching as the guy stumbled as his fist met nothing but air. 

“Are you sure this is how you wanna go ta jail, buddy? Dustin’ a monster?” Red stared at the guy, wary of the anger in his face. This guy had some sort of deal with monsters, apparently, it was obvious in the way he cocked back his fist yet again as if Red was just going to stand there and take it. 

Before he could swing, Red’s boss came hobbling out of the shop, waving his cane around and whacking the guy on the arm. From the yelp, Red guessed that being hit with the business end of a metal cane had probably left a nice bruise. Served him right.

“Don’t you be harrassin’ my staff, there, youngin’! Git, for I call the cops on ye!”

Red almost snorted as the guy glared hard at him for a moment, then ran off when his boss started waving his cane again. Had to hand it to the old geezer, he sure had a way with words. 

“Thanks, old man.” Red snickered as his boss turned to give him a stink eye, before gesturing to the garage with his cane.

“Let’s get ta work, sonny. Just let me know if that garbage shows up again.” And with that, his boss was headed back to his office, leaving Red to slip on his gloves and get started on the next car by himself. He’d likely deal with the human himself if he came back, but it was nice to know he had some kind of friend in the old man.

The rest of the day went smoothly enough, Red taking his time working on the nice sports car that’d been brought in the day before and needed an extra steady hand to work on her. Red didn’t think about his brother, didn’t think about the fact that Boss had always wanted a car like this, and would likely never get to have one.

When lunch time came Red had carefully cleaned out the engine and changed the oil on the car, and was more than ready for a break. His poor constitution had only grown worse as time had gone on; not knowing if Papyrus was dead or alive hadn’t really helped matters. When he slid into a break room chair, Red groaned in relief, grabbing his packed lunch from his inventory and taking a bite of his sandwich (man, Razz knew how to make a sandwich), when his phone began to buzz.

Sighing, Red swallowed his bite and clicked the little green button, holding the device to his earhole. “Y’ello.”

“Hello, is this Red Aster?” The voice was clearly a human’s, female, strict. It set Red’s nerves on edge immediately.

“Yeah, who’s this?”

“This is officer Gains, down at the police station. Your cousin… Razz? Aster, is waiting to be picked up.”

Red cursed under his breath, packing up his lunch and heading for the boss’ office. “I’ll be there in a minute.” Hanging up before she could answer, Red sighed. He really couldn’t trust himself to stay out of trouble, could he.

~.~

When he arrived at the station, Razz was sitting right inside, a few bags of groceries sitting on the floor by his feet. Red gave him a glare, one that Razz took in stride, before nodding at the officer that was waiting to give him whatever fine his double had racked up. To his surprise, however, she looked concerned.

“So what did he do?” Red asked, trying to keep a growl out of his voice. Getting in trouble here wouldn’t lead to anything good, and it wasn’t like skipping town was a real option anymore.

The officer, Gains he thought he remembered, gave Razz a side glance. “He was attacked by a racist who caught him outside the grocery store on fifth. We’ve apprehended the man, and he’ll be serving a three month sentence for attacking an unarmed civilian.” She glanced at the floor. “If it’s any consolation, no one was hurt.”

Red nodded, picking up a few bags with magic before bringing them to his hands. “Thanks. I’ll remember it.”

She nodded, glancing at them both with naked curiosity before heading back into the station interior. Red watched her go, then motioned for Razz to grab the remaining bags and follow him out. The two of them walked down the sidewalk until reaching a more convenient alleyway, Red touching Razz’s shoe with his boot before shortcutting them home. 

Razz set about unbagging items immediately, taking the bags from Red’s hands and putting things in different places silently. Red watched him, letting his anger settle before saying anything.

“What did he look like?”

Razz scoffed. “He looked like a human with dirty hair and drugged up eyes. I highly doubt he even knew what it was he was attacking, let alone that it was dangerous.” Staring hard at a can of tomato sauce, Razz grimaced. “I got the wrong kind.”

Red continued staring. “I need ta know whether he had friends er not. Don’ want any special surprises when I’m out and about and some idiot thinks I’m you.”

Razz snorted, finally looking up at him. “I’m sure you can handle yourself if that happens.”

Well. He wasn’t wrong.


	6. Boxes of Parts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wooooo next chapter! thank you all for reading ^^
> 
> enjoy??

It was on the way back to the apartment a few days later, a bag of books from the local library slung over his shoulder, that Razz noticed just how little monsters there were in this town. It was a small town, as towns went, which may have had something to do with the low population of monsters, but from what he could tell the population of monster haters was low as well. Certainly he’d met a few, and maybe more than one mother had lead their child away from him in the store or the library, but it was that way no matter where you went.

Something to ponder another day, perhaps, as he finally came upon the apartment, fishing the key Red had made him out from his pocket and setting it in the lock. Swinging the door open, Razz toed his shoes off as he stepped inside, setting his bag on the couch before shutting the door behind him. Standing with his back to the living room and adjoined kitchen, he grinned.

“Well are you going to say hey, brother?”

The sound of a lighter catching flame sounded from the doorway of the kitchen, Razz turning back to find his brother standing against the frame, slouched against the world. There was a deceptively disinterested look on his face as he nodded a hello. As Razz moved forward and past him, he couldn’t help the grin that snuck across this face as he saw the stacked boxes placed on the table. 

“I trust you were able to find everything he requires?” 

Slim moved beside him, nudging one of the boxes with an outreached knuckle. “Had a little help. But yeah.”

Razz nodded, satisfied. With this, Red would be able to really get a good start on the machine. It would be more than the frame made of spare parts, more than the frayed wires and pieces that wouldn’t do more than run like a generator for a coffee machine. There was still the bare possibility that he would never get it to work, making it from scratch like he was, but with Slim’s help Razz was confident.

“Thank you brother. You did well.” 

The silence spoke of pleased intent, but not all of it was his brother’s. Razz’s eyelights narrowed as he continued to stare at the boxes, the scent of the newcomer new, and yet, there was enough of himself in it to know who had seemingly piggybacked a ride.

“If you don’t come out in the next three seconds I will have to let Red have his way with you, Sans.”

There was a shuffle of slippers, the stench of old ketchup and nihilism filling his nose as the asshole in question moved from behind the wall of the living room. Sans was smiling, though it was the kind of grin that Razz doubted ever came down. It was tense, filled with an emotion Razz was sure he’d reveal as soon as he spoke. It seemed… unpleasant, to say the least.

Slim looked a bit incensed, so Razz assumed that he hadn’t known Sans had hitched a ride, which was a problem in and of itself. He deal with that later, preferably after he’d gotten this idiot to leave.

“You know you shouldn’t be here.” 

Sans’ grin widened, like he’d told a joke. “I shouldn’t be a lot of places. What’s one more.”

Razz’s eyes narrowed as he took a step forward, crossing his arms. “I don’t think you understand the situation. If he sees you here, he’ll kill you. There is no maybe or perhaps.”

That seemed to gain some sort of response, though Sans was quick to lock his expression back down. He took a step towards the boxes, though a simultaneous growl from both Razz and Slim stopped him midstep. “I know. I’d probably do the same thing if I was in his position and he’d done what I did.”

That brought Razz to a halt, his brow furrowing as he took in Sans’ words. “Do you mean to imply, what, that you’re here to say you’re sorry? That anything you could possibly say to him would stall your death, and yet would still do nothing to fix what you’ve done? Is that it?”

Sans winced minutely, turning his grin on Razz. “I mean, yeah, something like that.” He looked to the boxes, something in his expression tightening. “Thought maybe I’d try to make it right by… helping.”

Now it was Slim that scoffed. “Helping him is long past something you’re allowed to do. The only thing you can do is go home.”

Sans frowned, as much as he was apparently able. “I’m sure he’d rather have the extra set of hands getting it working than kill me on sight.”

Razz shook his head. “I don’t know that he would kill you on sight. But I can promise that if he catches you here, you will wish he had. Go home, Sans. Tell Papyrus that we’re grateful, but Red doesn’t want your sorries. There is no forgiveness here.”

Sans looked to the boxes once more, then sighed. “Yeah, I suppose there really isn’t, is there.”

Just as he began to turn towards the door, there was a crackle of magic, intent flooding the room and raising the hackles of both brothers before the growl of a voice came through.

“Sans if ya don’t get the fuck outta dodge, I’ll kill ya.” Red stood between the boxes and Sans, the sheen of sweat over the back of his skull betraying his anxiety. Razz could only assume he was afraid Sans would try to take back the equipment, as if he’d leave with any of it and still possessing his hands.

Sans slanted him a grin, hands slung in his pockets. “Long time no see, buddy. See, I found somebody stealing parts from my machine, and I just had to wonder what they were up to.” His voice went soft, pliable. “I want to help. I’m not looking for forgiveness. I just want to help.”

“What, so ya can go home and tell Paps ya aren’ such a fuck up?” Red quipped mercilessly, ignoring Sans’ full flinch. “Get tha fuck outta here, Sans. I won’ tell ya again.”

To his credit, Sans said nothing else, simply nodded, head drawn in to his chest, and popped out of the room. Red’s whole body seemed to collapse in on itself, like a puppet with its strings cut. Razz moved forward and picked him up, walking him to a chair where he could see the boxes, could open them if he wished.

He didn’t say he was sorry. He didn’t say he wished this had never happened. What he did was stand there, in silence, as Red soaked in his support with silent appreciation.


	7. A tense line

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> woo next chapter lol some more angsty stuff in this one, but nothing too bad.
> 
> enjoy ^^

It took at least a half hour for Red to stop glaring at the front door, and another twenty minutes for him to stop growling viciously at any unexpected outside noises. Razz stood at his side the entire time, calming him with simple words any time it seemed his ebbing panic was going to get the better of him. Slim stood, unimposing in the background, hands on the boxes of parts as if Sans would pop in at any moment and try to take off with them. 

It wasn’t soon, but at some point the rigid line in Red’s shoulders began to untense, the sweat on the back of his skull cooling until he slowly sank out of the posture he’d been in for nearly an hour, rubbing the back of his neck with a grimace. Razz watched with a small, humorless grin, as Red finally gave the door one last parting glare before turning back to the kitchen table of boxes. 

Razz didn’t say anything as Red moved forward and stared at Slim’s hand until he moved it, picking up the smallest box with a kind of reverence he’d never seen from him. He swallowed uncomfortably as Red began to open it, giving Slim a glance. 

“I’m going to call Papyrus to get his fucking brother. I’ll be just in the other room. Alright, Red?”

Red waved a hand over his shoulder, a sort of sign he was slowly getting into his usual temperament. Razz took it as a good sign, and knowing his brother could take care of himself, left to the guest bedroom to call Papyrus.

Once he’d left, Slim glanced down at a still silent Red. “Y’mind if I smoke?”

Red glanced up at him and, apparently deciding he wasn’t currently a threat, snorted. “Go fer it, beanpole. Man, wonder why ya got stuck wit’ “Slim”. Can’t be their sense ‘o humor.” 

Slim huffed a laugh, nodding even as he took out his pack of marlboros. Lighting up, he offered the pack to him. Red stared at the offered box, then slowly pulled a cig free. Slim wondered what it could mean about Red’s universe, if you couldn’t even trust a cigarette from an ally, but… maybe some of that distrust had been sewn here, rather than in the far off distance. 

The two of them smoked in a semi-amicable silence as Red went through the contents of the first few boxes, the smallest of the bunch. He seemed satisfied with what he’d found so far, setting each box aside when he was fully finished observing the contents. A few things were tinkered with, before being set aside for the next box. Slim watched each as they were taken into account, only waiting until the first big box to make his move. 

“Why are skeletons so calm?” He watched as Red paused, glancing up at him with veiled distrust and confusion. He was sure Red probably knew this one, but the cautious “What?” made his grin widen.

“Nothin’ gets under their skin.”

It took a few seconds, but soon Red was chuckling lightly, eyelight burning a little brighter. 

“Yeah? Well, what do you call a skeleton with no friends.”

Slim grinned. “Bonely.”

This time Red outright laughed, the sound relieving to hear. Slim watched, smug, as the last of the tension in his shoulders disappeared and he relaxed, probably about as much as he ever did at least. His grin softening, he wondered how many people got to see him like this. 

~.~

The moment Razz shut the bedroom door his fists clenched, eyelights fizzing out as he breathed heavily to control the rush of anger that nearly overtook him. Anger at the situation, definitely, but mostly anger at Sans for daring to show up and try to act like a simple sorry could change what he’d done. It took a few moments for him to regain control of his breathing, and a couple more to stop trembling in rage. 

It wouldn’t do to have Red see him like this. He needed to be the steady one, not like he was about to fly off the handle and go kill Sans. Besides, Papyrus would know something was wrong immediately if he still sounded angry when he finally made that phone call. 

Taking a few deep, calming breaths, Razz finally fished his phone from his pocket and dialed Papyrus’ number. 

As per usual, it rang twice and with a click, he answered. “Hello Razz! I heard you found Red, how is he? How are you? Are you both eating a solid three meals?”

Razz huffed a laugh, shaking his head even though Papyrus couldn’t see him. “We are well, thank you for asking. He was where you said he’d be, I just had to ask around to find his place of work.”

There was a sound of humming agreement on the other side of the phone, as well as a strange bubbling. Razz assumed it was some sort of cooking dish Papyrus was standing over. 

“Well I’m glad to hear that, I know Sanses don’t do well on their own, even if they insist they do.” There was a pointed accusation in his tone that Razz summarily decided to ignore. “But! The point is that soon Red will have his brother back as I knew he’d be able to do from the start, he just needed a bit of time away is all. Now, I doubt you’ve called to give us an update. What else is going on?”

Razz didn’t bother being surprised at Papyrus skill at discerning things; his own brother was skilled at reading a situation as well. Taking a breath, he slowly let it out before answering. “Sans hitchhiked a ride here.”

There was a sudden silence on the other end of the line, only broken by a sharp, but quiet, “Oh.”

Deciding that mincing his words would be useless here, so Razz continued. “Yes, he came into Red’s house and said he was sorry and that he wanted to help. I… do not know how much of it was genuine.”

Papyrus huffed an angry noise. “I suppose he was there to retrieve his  _ precious  _ parts back, it would be like him.” There was a surprising amount of venom in his tone that made even Razz surprised. Before he could say anything, however, Papyrus was talking again. “I’ll go and make sure he’s actually returned to the apartment he and Stretch shares, and if not, I’ll come retrieve him myself. Tell Red not to worry.”

Telling Red that would do nothing to help, but Razz nodded. “I’ll tell him.”

“Thank you.” And with that, he hung up, leaving Razz feeling more tired than he’d felt all day. Well. He may as well make sure his brother hadn’t killed Red.


	8. A Simple Visit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man, this one got longer than what they usually run XD anyways, have a new chapter lol We're so close ;)
> 
> enjoy!

Starting on the machine was a nearly instant decision Red and Slim came to, late the next night. Razz watched as the two of them moved all the boxes downstairs and into the storage room, sorting each by size and order of importance and installation. Soon enough the machine was rumbling to life with a reliable, functional power source in the generator Slim had brought and the few engine pieces needed to actually get the thing running its basic functions. Seeing the tiny spark of hope in Red’s eye made something warm in Razz’s soul, but knowing he was really only in the way and nothing more than a distraction at this point, he headed back upstairs.

The next morning, when he checked on the two of them, Slim was awake, checking the blueprints Red had with him, seemingly checking them against the one’s he’d brought from Sans’ basement. Razz highly doubted his brother had slept more than an hour or so the night before, but didn’t comment on it. Sleep for a Papyrus was a rare opportunity, it seemed. Red, however, was asleep, head and upper torso resting on the metal table that held the boxes, a small puddle of drool pooled just under his open mouth. Razz shook his head, a small grin on his face as he gave his brother’s shoulder a small pat before heading back upstairs.

They could both use some breakfast, and Red’s work needed called in to. If he was ever going back to it; if they fixed the machine there was no telling what Red’s plan was. Finding his brother was and always had been the number one priority, but if there was no brother to find… well. Razz didn’t let himself consider that particular what if. 

Instead he busied himself in making two tall stacks of pancakes, as well as three sausage links and a piece of fried cheese for the both of them. The scents of fried grease and fluffy batter filled the kitchen, and he was sure that if Red wasn’t so focused on his work, he’d be up here attempting to get a bite off a still cooking sausage, the absolute dumbass. A quick phone call to Red’s place of work later and the asshole had the next week off, once Razz had explained it was a family emergency.

Part of him wondered if the old timer knew that Red likely wasn’t coming back.

Finally everything was prepared, Razz carrying the full plates in his hands as he floated two mugs of fresh brewed coffee behind him. The stairs squeaked under his booted feet as he traversed back down them, Slim looking up at him this time with a barely contained eagerness in his eyelights. Nothing made his brother more alert than danger, and the smell of a good cooked meal. Red was awake, most likely by the smell of frying food, but was again back at work on the wiring of the machine. 

“Time for a break. I brought breakfast, get your nose out of the machine before it shocks you to an early death.” Razz set the plates on the table, as well as the mugs as Red sat back, rubbing his sockets with both hands.

“Smells great, t’anks.” Red mumbled as he turned to the table top, nearly inhaling his food. Slim took more careful bites, giving his brother a grateful smile. Razz gently knuckled the top of his head, watching over them as they ate. The silence was interrupted, however, by the sound of someone enthusiastically knocking on the living room door upstairs. Razz glanced upwards, then looked over Slim and Red’s progress. Neither of them seemed likely to care enough to stop eating to see who was there, he thought. Snorting to himself, Razz gave them one last parting glance before he headed up the stairs two at a time, ignoring the severe squeaking. 

The knocking had continued as he moved through the apartment and to the front door, Razz glancing through the peephole before unlocking and opening the door. “Papyrus, I’m not quite sure we had an understanding on the phone. I thought you were collecting your brother and then leaving town?”

Said skeleton laughed, hands resting on his hips as he surveyed the neighborhood around them. “I did in fact get my brother back home,” Papyrus paused, muttering a “where he belongs”, before continuing, “But since I know where Red is now! I thought I’d… stop by. Chat a little. Make sure he’s… holding up alright.”

Razz thought he understood the look of sympathy on Papyrus’ face, though he was grateful there was not an ounce of pity. “Well, he’s been hard at work on the machine, since he actually has working parts for it, but… I think he wouldn’t mind seeing an old friend.”

Papyrus smiled gratefully and moved carefully inside when Razz stepped to the side, shutting the door behind them. Papyrus looked around the small apartment with a critical eye, though he seemed to realize that with no one but Red living there for so long, there was only so much that could be done to help the place not look like a garbage pile. 

“He’s downstairs, let me go talk to him and let him know you’re here. It’ll be a minute.” Razz warned, before going to the door that lead to the storage room, shutting it behind him on a smiling Papyrus. Taking the stairs down, Razz found the plates and mugs stacked, both skeletons hard at work on the machine, seemingly deaf to the world around them. Moving to Red’s back, Razz laid a hand on his spine. “Papyrus is here. He wants to speak with you.”

Red glanced back at him, eyes wide, before there was a pop of a shortcut and he was gone, likely upstairs. After there was no sounds of a fight or attacks hitting the walls, he turned to Slim who’d paused in his work to look at his brother. 

“How is the machine coming?” He didn’t ask if it was almost done. He didn’t dare to hope, but by the sparkle in Slim’s eye, maybe he didn’t even need to ask. 

“It’s almost ready to try connecting to Red’s old machine. We just need to finish a last few procedures and it’ll be ready to turn on for real.” Slim’s voice was touching ecstatic, his eyelights bright. Razz could only imagine his brother had wondered what it would be like to never see him again. He’d wondered the same.

~.~

As Red popped upstairs, he found Papyrus straightening a mug on the living room table, thought he straightened up as he heard him appear. 

“Red! I’ve missed you, so much!” Suddenly long, wiry arms were around him, nearly picking him up off the floor and it reminded him so much of his brother, of old times, that he had to blink back the warmth in his sockets.    


“Hey Paps, long time no see huh? I thought you was gettin’ yer brother back home?”

Papyrus rolled his eyes, or what passed for them. “I did take him home, and gave him a thorough talking to about trespassing on stranger’s property!” He winked, Red chuckling. Papyrus could be pretty passive aggressive when he wanted to be, and Sans’ stunt had to have pissed him off. A hand was gently placed on his shoulder, Red looking up to meet Pap’s eyes. 

“Have you been doing alright? I know we didn’t do much other than help you get this far, and I wish we’d… that I’d been able to do more. Are you alright?”

Red stared up at him, taking in the sincere tone and the warmth that came from it, but nodded his head. “Yeah, Paps, I’ve been okay… Razzle dazzle down there’s been helpin’, and his brother, I don’t even know why they care but they got me so close. So close! I bet I c’n ‘ave the machine fixed by t’morrow and I could… I could…”

Those long arms wrapped around him again as the tears began streaming down his face, pulling him close to a chest that made his own ache with familiarity. “You’ll find him. I know you will, you’ll find him and he’ll never leave you again.”

Red sucked in a deep breath, wiping at his eyes even as Papyrus smiled warmly down at him, hand still resting on his shoulder. “T’anks, Pap, yer the best, y’know?”

Papyrus laughed. “I may be one of the best, but the Best One is waiting for you. You can do it Red, I believe in you.”


	9. Empty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mmm, interesting things in this chapter. (im not sorry)
> 
> enjoy!

It took another few days to integrate every extra piece Slim had brought over, fixing up all the wiring and soldering on the final pieces of metal to cover it all. Red had been the one to actually put most of it together, Slim helping him hold things down and finish up the wiring in the displays. Razz helped by staying out of the way and keeping the both of them fed, occasionally bringing them down a cup of coffee in light of the fact that neither of them would listen if he tried to get them to sleep any length of time.

He was downstairs, standing behind the two of them as Slim checked some final piece they were to add before turning the damned thing on for the first time. Red sat, pensive as he stared hard at the piece of machinery in Slim’s hand, wires sticking out seemingly in random directions, though as soon as he turned and fit it into the slot it was supposed to go in, they all disappeared without issue. Razz held his breath as Red turned to the machine, standing to his feet as a look of determined anger settled in his eyes.

Flicking a few switches, Red’s hands moved swiftly over the various levers and buttons, all prepping the machine for him to finally hit the large red button that would, in theory, turn it on. He paused, claw tips hovering over the button before looking back to Slim, then Razz. The two of them nodded, promising wordless that whatever happened, he’d have their support. Moving his gaze back to the machine, Red took a deep breath, held it. Then pressed the button.

There was a whir of parts, a deep hum that filled the room and made their bones rattle with the frequency. Then, one by one, the lights began to shine with color, each flashing a bit before holding steady in hues of red and green and yellow. Then, finally, the small readout began reading a steady stream of incomprehensible letters and numbers but that didn’t matter to Razz. What mattered was the explosive breath of air that left Red, his sockets filling with unspent tears as he stared down at the readout. 

“Its.. lookin’ for anomalies. Like it was supposed ta. I jus’ gotta recalibrate it fer alternate sources and-” at this Red started messing with the keypad to the readout, Slim joining him in the sciencey technobabble they were so fond of using. Razz stepped back, leaning against the wall as they worked, a sort of relief heady in his soul.

The machine was working. They could get to other connected universes, they could find the code for Red’s home universe, and they could travel there. 

It took another twenty minutes for Red to remember the correct sequence of letters and numbers that made up his own universe, and another ten for the machine, clearly unused to being used for interdimensional sequencing, to show the little readout sentence of “Universe found! Scanning for possible entry points…” Red stepped back, hands at his sides as he laughed, the sound nearly broken. 

“It’s there. It’s still there. He’s…” Shaking his head, Red moved back from the machine and headed upstairs, Slim following along behind him easily. Razz gave one more glance to the machine before following, his boots thudding on each step. 

“I’m gonna head ta the bar, we deserve a drink ‘er two fer this shit.” Red exclaimed as they all piled into the living room, grabbing his jacket off the couch and slipping both arms in before turning to the two of them. “Yer… don’t have ta come wit’ me. Can if ya wanna, though.”

Slim shrugged, though Razz could see his brother’s eagerness to get an actual drink for once, as well as some sweets if they were available. Shaking his head, Razz slipped on his own leather jacket.

“Like we’d leave you on your own, dumbass. Are you taking us there, or?”

Red chuckled, leaning forward to put one hand on Slim’s jacket, the other on Razz’s shoulder. He winked, “Just take a ride on the crimson express.”

Before he could react they were through the void and in the alley behind the bar Red had taken him to that first day. Brushing himself off, Razz lead the way out of the alley, Red and Slim hot on his heels as they moved out onto the sidewalk and to the front door of the bar. The smell of grease and booze was strong, Razz ignoring the way his brother’s nose crinkled in disgust as he scoped out a booth for the three of them.

Red headed for the front, ordering them all drinks and a few appetizers that Razz was certain would be dripping with mustard when he was through with dressing them up. He and Slim sat at a booth towards the back corner, away from curious humans and the few monsters that sat on the opposite side. 

Soon the three of them had piles of food and glasses full of drinks, eyelights blurring ever so slightly the longer they drank, the longer they talked. Their words were filled with tentative hope, quietly planning what they would do when walking through that portal. There were so many different things to expect, heading back into a fellverse, and being from what they termed a “swapped fellverse” meant that things were even more different than Razz or Slim would be able to expect.

It was late when they finally went home, paying for their meal and drinks with the last gold coins Red had on him. For once, it was peaceful as they went their separate ways, no more tense thoughts to keep them from smiling to each other as they parted. Slim to the couch, Razz to his guest bed, and Red to the trashed up bedroom he barely slept in.

In the end, it was the screaming that woke the three of them, Razz running to the living room to find the walls licked with flames, Slim pulling him back as Red rushed to the machine. In the end, the peace was gone, replaced with the angry yelling of strangers. In the end… none of it mattered.


	10. Jagged Reminders

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some pretty intense warnings for this chapter are in the end notes, so if you have any triggers regarding injuries or violence or slurs, please check those before reading.
> 
> For everyone else, please enjoy??
> 
> also, once again. I'm not sorry :)

It took a moment to place where the angry yelling was coming from, Razz staring at the flame licked windows where the shadows of people standing outside, apparently jeering and yelling for them all to come out. His first thought was Red and his brother, only noticing the wooden door to the basement had broken inwards, as the flames slowly inched towards the stairs, when he glanced over, sure that Red would be down there in a panic. Slim rushed past him, calling for Red and an answering growl made some of tension in Razz’s soul leave, but only some. Slim disappeared down the steps after stomping out the encroaching flames, probably to help Red with the machine. 

Anger filled him, magic sparkling at the tips of his fingers as he strode to the broken windows, looking out to find a small crowd of likely drunk, who all shouted curses and jeers and slurs when they spotted him looking out. Stepping back as a small rock came at the window, he grimaced as it thudded off the side of the house. 

He had no idea if the machine had been damaged, or if Red had been hurt or injured by the fire that was slowly taking over the entire apartment. Something about the fact that he had no idea how hurt or  _ not  _ hurt Red was made his entire core feel hot and uncomfortable, anger and rage prickling at his senses. A film of red took over his vision, as he stormed up the the front door, ignoring the sense of alarm as several human gazes landed on him and mouths turned to sneers, a few hands raising with bottles or rocks in them, but every single one of them stopped in their tracts as his magic flared around him, displaying itself as fiery tendrils of crimson that wound around his back. It was untempered, ready to form into attacks at the barest thought, but every bit of it was filled with the rage he had for all these simpletons that thought the best course of action was a blind, drunken attack.

“Look at ‘at, ‘e’s an ugly fucker i’n’t he?” One of the men snorted, fishing his phone from his pocket, likely to film what was going on. With a single, well shot attack, the device was knocked from his hand and pinned to the ground, sparking and ruined. He turned, face red with anger, before the magic expanded, knocking them all on their backs.

“What the fuck! I’m gonna kill ‘em, buncha faggots! Mountain trash!” another man yelled, struggling back to his feet under the blue hold Razz had on their souls. Razz simply watched as gravity betrayed him, pushing him to his knees as he howled his displeasure.

Razz held them all there, content to watch as they tried their damnedest to get back up, intent on keeping them on their faces until the authorities arrived but a small miscalculation left him on his own knees, hands cupping the side of his head as pieces of brick fell away, along with small, shattered pieces of his own bone and marrow. He looked up, eyelight blown wide with pain as he found the man who’d threatened both him and Red not so long ago, staring at him with a manic grin, another brick in his hand. His fist raised, Razz closing his eyes to block out the pain, when a tremendous pressure filled the air around them both. 

Razz glanced up again to find Red stood solid in front of him, three blasters floating behind him with crimson magic dripping from their jowls, the threatening growls coming from them making the now free cowards start running the other direction. Red didn’t watch them, his eyes only for the man now heavy on his knees, the joints likely out of socket from the force of impact, not that Razz could find himself feeling all that sympathetic with the marrow still blinding his vision, the right side of his skull pulsing with jagged pain.

“Yer gonna apologize, right the fuck now.” Red’s voice boomed out, more authoritative than Razz had ever heard it. He was… angry wasn’t even close. Rage didn’t do it justice. Red’s voice was like ice, cold and hard and easy to cut, with a backing of hellfire that demanded penance. 

There was the sound of retching, of someone crying out for help, and then when Razz came back to awareness he was being sat on a stretcher by some kindly looking humans with green souls while Red and the prick were put in the backs of separate police cars. He nearly panicked, thinking they would take him away and lock him in some dungeon and he’d never see the light, his thoughts racing and the energy of the night hitting him all at once until his brother’s arms were wrapped around him, bringing him back to the present, to the rationality that they likely just wanted to question him.

He allowed the humans to tend to his injury, though they were a bit out of their depth when it came to monster injuries. Still, they had some understanding of what to do with broken bone, conjuring up plaster and molding clay from their vehicle and patching up the jagged, gaping crack in his skull that had nearly taken out his eyelight. He thanked them after they were done, and refused their offer of going to the local hospital. He did not want to be around any more healers than he had to be.

Slim helped him over to the sidewalk after the healers had gone, the two of them answering questions about who they were, who owned the apartment, and their version of what had happened when they woke up. Razz was sure to mention that the same human who’d now left him with a physical reminder for the rest of his life of his existence had also harassed and nearly attacked them not even weeks before. 

After that things were more quiet, the “firefighters” working on saving what they could of the apartment, Slim leaving his jacket wrapped comfortably around his shoulders, and for a moment, Razz allowed himself to breathe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warnings for: Dislocation of joints, Graphic Violence, Usage of the F-slur, Graphic Depictions of Skull Injury, Marrow


End file.
